


Back to you once again

by Aalvina



Series: In another world [6]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Choose Your Own Ending, Curses, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic, Maybe - Freeform, Reincarnation, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-18 12:25:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18249803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aalvina/pseuds/Aalvina
Summary: Magnus' father cursed him when he got banished. Through the centuries he meets Alexander Lightwood again and again and forgets him everytime Alexander dies. Only to remember when they meet again.Now Magnus is with 2010 Alec we know, with all that happened how will the cycle end?Three endings, you vote !





	1. Through the decades

**Author's Note:**

> Day brain : Come on! Why does the show keep putting angst with Malec, we want fluff.   
> 1am brain : You could pour so much angst on this canon. Go do it. 
> 
> That's about how I got the idea. 
> 
> Hope you like it and prepare the votes

 

Magnus was a teenager when he finally banished and trapped his father in Edom, it was a moment of independance and power and yet Asmodeus managed to get the upper hand with a simple smirk.

He did not scream, did not taunt Magnus, just smirked.

 

It took several decades for Magnus to understand what was that all about. First it was memories of someone he crossed path on the road, a pair of hazel eyes he saw under the hat of a man on a horse. But it was always the same person, by the end of the 17th century he started to understand that he always ended up forgetting that man for some reason and only remembered their encounters when they met again, decades later.

 

He first thought he was a warlock but as decades passed he saw the man shift into a wolf one time, then have runes on his body or marks of seelies. Curiosity piked he started to investigate and realized that whoever this man was he was the only one whose memories got back each time they met.

They first talked in 1715 in France, Magnus had been called to try and save the king and there he was the man with hazel eyes and dark hair. He was a courtesan back there and saluted Magnus. The man who was guiding Magnus introduced them.

“Sir Magnus Bane, this is earl Alexander Lightwood.” Just a look and all his memories from past encounters came rushing back. Suddenly Magnus had no care for the dying king of France but only desperate need to have answers.

 

Leaving his guide behind he went after earl Lightwood, following him in the gardens of Versailles, he tried to keep up but some recognized him and enquired about the king's health. Then a scream in one of the bosk, Magnus ran and witnessed a woman fainting against the trees, in front of her was Alexander Lightwood, a knife in his heart. A troup of men had already caught the killer.

“He wanted to kill the crown prince !”

“Go fetch a doctor for the earl!” And suddenly they were alone, Magnus kneeled on the ground and focused his magic, Alexander was too out of it to realize what was happening. Magnus tried but he wasn't as good with healing magic as others, it wasn't what Asmodeus taught him best.

“Stay with me! Please! I have to know who you are. What you are.”

But it was too late and soon enough the earl Alexander Lightwood stopped breathing and died, in front of Magnus surprised eyes, his body slowly disappeared and before the warlock could react he was alone in a bosk in Versailles.

 

“Sir Bane! Thank you for catching the spy! Was he the reason you left me suddenly?” asked his guide that finally caught up with him.

Magnus frowned a bit and got up.

“Yes, of course. I'm sorry for my rudeness. Please lead me to your king, I'll do my best.”

And Magnus left, no memories of Alexander Lightwood left in his mind or anyone's.

 

* * *

 

 

As decades turned into centuries, Magnus kept meeting a new incarnation Alexander Lightwood and little by little they spend more times together.

In 1789, Alexander was a warlock and they worked together to save downworlders, in 1815 they fought alongside in the Waterloo battle that would cost Alec's life. By that time Magnus had figured out his father got him in a weird time loop of sorts. Alexander must be important to Magnus or maybe it was this situation that made him so fascinated with the man. But as he learnt to know him again and again and again Magnus knew him, if Alexander changed accordingly depending on the time they were in and his nature he was always kind, strict, a born leader.

Yet it was so strange for Magnus to fall for this man bits by bits through the centuries.

 

Magnus was with Camille when he met Alexander once again in the mid 1850s and broke off with her for the first time, she was always the one breaking up before. He couldn't help himself and became close friend with this human version of Alexander Lightwood, though he did flirt, it seemed Alexander was always closeted and Magnus wondered if the world would stop their patent homophobia for one second so he could be with this man.

This was the first time he really fell in love with him and the first time they kissed, Alexander finally letting go. Magnus was giddy with happiness and wondered what the future could hold, and though he was worried about Alexander mortality he decided to just enjoy the moment.

 

One night in 1856 Magnus was happily going to meet Alexander but was welcomed by an open door, he saw blood on the ground and got terrible flashback to Alexander's previous death. He saw his body lying on the carpet, Camille drinking his blood. Magnus froze, too shocked to react, the scene too unbelievable for his brain to register what was happening. She wiped her mouth and smiled at him.

“I'm sorry darling but I've done you a favor. You can't get attached to mortal things, you'll just get more hurt later on.”

Through all their arguments and fights they had never gone violent but something broke inside Magnus, hopes, happiness, love. He hadn't forgotten Alexander yet so the man was still alive but dying. Magnus rage fueled him and he threw Camille across the room, half his magic choking her, half desperatly trying to heal the man he loved.

Camille looked at him with actual disbelief and fear her ex-lover.

 

“Mag.. Magnus. Stop.” she pleaded. “I can turn him if you want.”

Magnus turned sharply toward her and stared blankly. It was right, she could turn Alexander and make him a vampire, immortal to share his life with Magnus, to stop this infernal cycle of reincarnations.

Magnus wanted so badly for it to stop but he also remembered how this Alexander was a doctor and cared for the living, how he closed his eyes when the sun touched his face when they walked outside. This Alexander was human and knew nothing of the shadowworld. And immortality did not mean invincibilty. He would die, he always died no matter what.

Magnus slowly stopped his magic, Camille falling on the ground. He stared at Alexander lifeless body as it slowly disappeared once again but this time, Magnus gave up.

 

* * *

 

 

From 1856 to the 2000 he ignored all reincarnations of Alexander, each time he met this pair of eyes and his memories came back, they weren't ones of curiosity and flirt and hope. They were of despair and death. So Magnus ignored them and let life continue, still grieving when he felt his memories disappear once again with Alexander's death.

He only told Ragnor about him, as a desperate search to at least stop the memories and the old warlock had taken pity on him but very little could be done against a Prince of hell's curse. Magnus was always the only people to remember, Camille never remembered, nor anyone else.

He got bitter and sad, even more with the rise of the Circle, especially when he learnt that shadowhunters called Lightwood were part of it.

At the time he did not know why but the name made him incredibly anxious and sad.

 

When Clary first approached him about her memories he did not see the archer well but it stirred something in his memories, not enough to be clear but it fueled him to leave these people. He only got to see Alexander eyes when the man saved him in his appartement, the voice should have been enough but his eyes, his smile suddenly brought him right back to a lovesick fool.

 

He had no choice but to deal with the shadowhunters for a while so he tried to see if Alec had any memories at all of their past encounters, “pretty boy”, allusion of Michael Angelo and Casanova were not flirting but actual elements of their past.

Alexander never showed any sign of recollection and Magnus stopped trying after a while. This time felt different, more important, meaninful and the annoying ghost of Ragnor kept telling him to stop running away from the one person he knew held joy like no other.

So Magnus fought for it, against all odds, to the wedding, ignoring the stings when Alec got shocked when Robert talked about love.

 

Times and times again Magnus stopped himself from comparing, and enjoyed each moments. They were really together for the first time, he could kiss him, make love to him and finally say the three words he had kept secret for so long.

“I love you too.”

 

Each injury from Alec scared him to no end and the more their relationship grew the more he feared death would once again separate them. He did not want another take, he did not want to forget he wanted this, Alexander and him, together at last.

 

So when he asked his father for help he also asked for the cycle to end.

“I can't do that I'm afraid. It's punishment for you banishing me. I'm not even sure how to stop it, it's a remanant of my power as an angel.”

“You used the last of your angelic power to punish me?!” had asked Magnus in utter disblief.

“Seeing how you're begging for it to stop I'll say it was worth it. Angelic power wasn't going to be of much use in Edom.”

Magnus was angry but had to focus, Jace was still under the influence of Lilith which meant Alec was also in danger. He tradded his magic for the power he needed.

 

If he missed his magic dearly and struggled to keep up with being mortal he dared to hope the loss of his immortality would stop the curse, break the cycle.

So when he asked Lorenzo for magic the new high warlock warned him about two things : one this would not get his immortality back, two it could be highly dangerous.

He had accepted the first one already and decided to take his chance for the second one.

 

When came the first symptoms of reject of his new magic he was faced with a choice to make that could change everything.

 

  * Ignore the symptoms

  * Go talk to Alec

  * Go to Catarina

-> see chapter 2 


 


	2. Ending : Magnus goes to Catarina

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Choice 1 : Magnus goes for help to Catarina

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had very little votes but from the ones I got here is the first ending: 
> 
> Magnus goes to Catarina.

He had to do something. The headaches were becoming too strong, and he had chronic nosebleeds, so he went to the one person he thought could help him. Catarina was a gifted healer and she tried, using most of her magic but after a few days she told him :

“I'm sorry Magnus. I just, I can't heal you, I've searched but even if Lorenzo took the magic away it's too late. Your body is too weak.” she took deep breathes, her eyes shining with tears. Magnsu gently wiped them away and hugged her.

 

It was so weird to think he was about to die, he thought about his curse and bitterly thought that it would end by his death way too soon.

He did not want to tell Alec anything and spent the next weeks enjoying life with the man he loved. But he could only manage a few moments here and there while Alec still tried to save the world. Magnus wanted even more than before, if he could he would pack a lifetime in the little time he had left.

The headaches got worse, he felt dizzy most of the time and soon enough Alec asked and probbed about what was wrong. His brows furrowed. Magnus assured he just had to get used to his magic back but one day Magnus fainted. Alec panicked and called Catarina who just shook her head sending the man in deep despair.

“He didn't want to burden you with it but his body has rejected the magic and hurt him. I tried so hard, I've managed to allow him some time but there's nothing to be done.”

She explained calmly, even if she had time to deal with the news it still hurt her to her core to see her best friend lying on a bed, his breathes shallow.

“No. No it can't be. We were supposed to have so much more time.” said Alec, she put a hand on his shoulder and he openly sobbed, clutching Magnus' hand.

 

Ignoring Johnathan and all that was wrong in the world, Alec stayed at Magnus side in their new home that they barely had time to enjoy.

Alec was a warrior but he was not a religious man, he knew the angels gave him his runes powers but it always felt so far, such distant concept. It took a certain kind of despair to end up on his knees, head bowed on the bed and start praying.

Maybe there was some sort of justice, if warlock magic couldn't help them maybe the angels would just help, once.

“Just for once, help me. I know Clary and Jace have the purest blood but please, please just save him. Save us. I can't exist without him. I beg of you.” he murmured again and again.

He did not really believe it would work but he found solace in the repetition, his mind emptying, only focusing on the hand between his fingers.

 

Angels did not bother with people, believing shadowhunters were enough but they could hear a few things, such as when shadowhunters called their names while using seraph blade. And Eremiel had become incresingly interested in Alexander Lightwood. The young man had started to call his name after meeting the warlock Magnus Bane.

Eremiel saw the curse bound the two man and felt terrible for them.

Angels did not act on earth and yet, as Alexander Lightwood prayed for help, Eremiel felt obligated to answer, the man had sacrificed so much and did not even realize how much he had already suffered in his past lifes.

The curse could only be broken by angelic power, Eremiel hesitated but then the one wish had been used so there wasn't really any guidelines on how to act toward shadowhunters and downworlders. Contrary to some beliefs angels actually wanted downworlders protected, blaming demons and Princes of Hell for their demonic nature.

 

Alec was exhausted and did not really understand what was happening but he heard a voice, deep, and a force preventing him to turning toward the voice.

“There is only one way. Once the cycle broken you'll only have one more chance.”

Alec wasn't sure what that meant but he nodded in a transe like state.

“Live well Alexander.” the voice murmured.

 

* * *

 

Catarina was making Alec some coffee when the appartement door violently opened revealing a distraught Isabelle.

“Where is Alec?! Jace fell, his parabatai rune. I.. Where is he?!”

Catarina dropped the coffee cup and rushed toward the bedroom. Isabelle went to her brother checking for a pulse as Catarina did the same with Magnus. Both women stepped back and Isabelle bursted into tears.

“How? What happen?!”

“I don't know. It looks like they... They died at the very same moment.”

Isabelle let herself fall on the floor, the door opened once again with a pale Jace Lightwood held by Clary, all remains of hope dying when they saw Isabelle.

 

Before they could even realize how deep their grief ran, the bodies of the two men slowly started to disappear.

“What's happening? Catarina?”

“I... I have no idea.”

And soon enough the bodies had disappeared, the four people looked at each other and frowned. Isabelle ended offering a contrite smile.

“I'm sorry for the outburst. It's been a hard month.” and Catarina nodded.

Jace hugged his sister and said : “Come parabatai, you have an institute to run.”

 

* * *

 

Eremiel looked at the painting, it was the first time he actually stepped on earth but he was just too curious. He was patient, decades had passed without really bothering him but as he saw the birth of the last incarnation of Alexander Lightwood and Magnus Bane he found himself descending on earth on this day.

“Beautiful painting right?” said Magnus as he approarched Eremiel, thinking he was interested in buying it.

“It is. Almost unreal.” he acquiesed. The painting was two silhouettes holding hands, their appearance was kept blurry except for their hands were one was clad with rings and tenderly held the other one.

“Clarissa Fairchild was a gifted artist. Though we have very little of her, she disappeared from the world often. Her works often evokes lurking darkness and shining hope but this is one of the few that stands apart.” explained Magnus.

“What is it called?”

“Lost memories.”

 

Eremiel smiled and stayed where he was, closing his eyes in delight when the door opened and Magnus took a shocked breath. Alexander Lightwood had just entered the gallery, frozing when his eyes met Magnus'.

Their human brain barely understanding what was happening, it couldn't store all the memories from their previous lifes. But they knew right away, they loved each other, that they had shared lives together and this was a chance for a good one.

 

Eremiel left without any of them realizing it, leaving the men to enjoy this sacred moment. He turned one last time toward them and saw Magnus gently kissing Alexander lips, hope and joy for a new beginnings.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it. What do you think? 
> 
> If you want one other ending first, you can still vote in the comments between : Ignoring the symptoms or Go to Alec.

**Author's Note:**

> Here it goes : three choices.   
> I'll post all of them in order of the votes : first the most asked then the second and the third. 
> 
> I hope you like this concept and the story. ^^
> 
> Can't wait to see your comments


End file.
